The Hardy Uniqua Fly reel an understated beauty
There is something about an old Hardy that beckons a certain reverie about a specific time on a special piece of water. The old ones carry stories that will never be told and are long forgotten. The Hardy Uniqua holds so much history when it comes to the significance of a solid, highly reliable English reel. It is no doubt one of the most enduring reels ever produced by Hardy. The legendary “Perfect” reel always seems to steal the spotlight, while the Uniqua quietly sits in the shadows backstage with shy simplicity.
The Uniqua was understated, accessible, reliable, and easy to service. It was the reel to fish hard with, and it was affordable for most fly fishermen when it was introduced in 1903. The original reel in “trout sizes” had a “Brass Drum” knurling around both circumferences of the reel. The reel went through changes to the spool latches over time. First with a horseshoe latch geometry from 1903-1914, then an “early telephone” latch profile from 1922-1927. In 1934-1948, a “classic telephone latch” was introduced. From 1949 to 1959, the modern post-war era featured straight geometry rather than a curved one. During these latch evolutions, the reel's basic body remained largely unchanged.
The lettering styles shifted over time, but the general design remained consistent. The last year the Uniqua was produced was in 1959, after around 56 years of non-stop production.
Most of my Uniqua reels are small, around 2 7/8ths, trout models, and I often load them with half-tails of silk, usually around 60 feet of 3wt. or 4wt. lines. The spool, like the Hardy Perfect, is fairly narrow and pairs well with shorter lengths of line. I really enjoy using these reels as much as I enjoy using my Perfects. They are extremely serviceable and very durable. I honestly grab my Uniqua loaded with 4wt. line more than any other reel when I'm fishing my 7' cane rods during the summer months. The Uniqua is one of my favorites of all the Hardy reels. It's simple and timeless, kind of like most trout streams.
Thanks for letting me share ~Clint Bova
